Ethiopia - Short stay advice

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Posted byzaksame(Respected Member 571 posts) 9y
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Hi all,I´m off to Kenya in April and was hoping to take a few days (3) in Ethiopia, can anyone recommend what to do in such a short visit. I´ll probably fly Nairobi to Addis, in fact I will fly Nairobi to Addis. Any hotels to be recommended, and bars or clubs, music, food, short trips from Addis, reputable tour companies etc?All information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks as usual.Zaksame

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Posted bybaluba(Respected Member 407 posts) 9y
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Not sure about clubs and bars etc. in Addis, but during the day there is the enormous market 'Merkato' (the largest in Africa), you could probably spend three days just going around this! Watch for pick pockets though.

Personally I think a better option would be to fly to Gondar and either take a trip to the Simian mountains which are stunning. You can do a day trip from Gondar and they will have you scrambling over the thyme and mint covered hills to see spectacular scenery, or go to Lalibela. You may need a little more time for this as it will probably involve a couple of nights stay. The drive over the start of the Rift Valley is stunning and Lalibela itself is awesome with its rock hewn churches, I have never seen anything quite like it.Even Gondar itself has a lot to offer and you can take a tour round the castle. Plenty of bars and clubs and the locals are really friendly...especially the women!!!

Food can be fairly basic and is always accompanied by enormous fermented yeast pancakes rolled up. We nicknamed them 'donkey dicks' cos that's what they look like, but don't be put off, they taste lovely!

It's a shame to spend so little time in Ethiopia, its an amazing country.

3.
Posted byzaksame(Respected Member 571 posts) 9y
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Thanks Baluba for the great advice as usual.Gondar sounds like the better option alright. As much as I would love to visit Lalibela I don't think it will happen on this trip. I know, it's a shame to be so close and not get there, but hey, it's something to look forward to for next year.Thanks again for the information. (I understand what you mean about the 'Friendly' women).

4.
Posted bybaluba(Respected Member 407 posts) 9y
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Ha ha!

'Tis a shame about Lalibela but I would certainly recommend you plan another visit and see more of this beautiful country.

If you do stay in Gondar, I cannot actually recommend any hotels but I can look some up in LP if you havn't got it. Can't remember the name of the one I stayed in, but it was bloody awful! In fact is was so awful, I camped in the garden, in the rain!

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Posted byzaksame(Respected Member 571 posts) 9y
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I hope they didn't charge you extra for the pleasure of staying in their lovely garden. It must have been a real dump (I was in a place like that in rural Kenya - the sign said it was five stars. I thought it was a lot more, in fact I could see them all through the hole in the roof!)

6.
Posted byGrazmataz(Budding Member 24 posts) 8y
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but does friendly mean safe. ive been told u need to wear 2 condoms over there.